


Light and Its Shadows: A Game for Humanity

by RubyofRaven



Category: No Game No Life - Kamiya Yuu, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: AU, Adventure, Angst and Humor, Bickering, Chess, Crossover, Dark, Dark Magic, Gambling, Games, Gen, Humor, King - Freeform, Magic, Multi, Other, Partnership, Past Lives, Poker, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Queen - Freeform, Rebirth, Shadow Realm, Shadow magic, Siblings, Slavery, Teamwork, light - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-02-02 04:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12719592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RubyofRaven/pseuds/RubyofRaven
Summary: The world Tet has created is based on games. He's already recruited Sora and Shiro, but what are games without the King of Games, Yami Yugi, and his rival, Seto Kaiba? In Tet's world, it is lacking its shadows, and light cannot be without them for long.





	1. Chapter 1: Needs More Challenge

**Author's Note:**

> A.N. Ruby of Raven here!
> 
> I know I shouldn't be starting another long fic since I already have about five still in the making, but my friends want to see this idea come to life and I, apparently, can't find it in myself to refuse them. So, bear with me as I take you on an odd adventure that is far too plausible a challenge for the King of Games and, his right hand man, Seto Kaiba.
> 
> This story takes place right after Episode 4 in the anime 'No Game No Life' or after Volume 1 for the mange. (Don't worry, I'm working on reading more of the manga so I can add in some stuff from it too, and not make this fic purely anime biased.) This stoy, from the 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' stand point takes place about a year after Yami and Yugi's final duel with some obvious Alternate Universe type differences. (Like the fact that Yami gained his own body at the end of the manga/anime instead of joining the afterlife-- like he gets a second chance at life.) 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! and I don't own No Game No Life. If I did, this story would be an actual thing in both of their plot-lines for obvious reasons.  
> \---And, yes, if this fic seems familiar to some, it is because it has made its way from my fanfiction account to here. I'm starting to upload more of the works I actually am a bit proud of up on here (since that site has some very early works of mine... which are not necessarily all that great to read...). So, I hope you all enjoy!

Humanity... No matter how hard they'd try, they'd never truly win. Such short life spans they had. If they could beat him, then that'd be something. As it stood, Sora and Shiro would eventually die; no one would be able to replace them. They had no true magic like the others, but they had genius minds that no other in his universe would have.

He needed more of them. More genius, more games.

Tet couldn't let humanity die out, but sooner or later, Sora and Shiro would, bringing humanity down with them, even if they somehow became gods. Humanity would need something more than just this. They'd need a teacher, which the siblings clearly were not. Sure they could teach the humans how to be confident, but not how to truly defend themselves from enemies.

Now, the one and only God was not for blood and war, but some higher beings might warrant it, and the siblings would not be willing to bring it or properly find an appropriate substitute for it. They were more light.

What Tet needed was dark. Humanity needed both sides of the coin, for better or for worse.

The darkness he was looking at had lived far beyond other humans, never dying and always being reborn.

Even if Sora and Shiro fell, these two would remain. Darkness always remains.

"The fuck?!" the brunet's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and frustration.

His online poker game wasn't going as planned and it didn't help that his partner was there reading the comments from the other players. The smaller man was sitting in the chair next to him, slurping his noddles from the takeout box obnoxiously as his eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Mm, looks like this KaitoKid is close to winning." The other teen didn't bother to respond, so the slighter man continued, "I wonder what his strategy is with all his talk of a 'Poker Face,' hm?"

The CEO growled at that. "It hardly matters in an online poker game. No one can see your face!"

The ex-pharaoh smirked. "I'm afraid you're wrong about that."

"Can it, Yami!" Why his biggest rival was even still here, the business man didn't know. He had come over for dinner via an invite from his younger brother and, somehow, it had turned into this. Honestly, he should have known something was up when Mokuba disappeared right before their food arrived, leaving him with babysitting the annoying midget. Somehow this led to him, Seto Kaiba, playing online poker due to the shorter teen's prodding.

The tri-colored haired teen only rolled his eyes at Kaiba's reaction to his input with a slight chuckle. Sometimes it was too easily to rile the brunet.

Left on his own to finish the game, the CEO managed to win at the last minute, figuring out _KaitoKid_ 's strategy, which involved a healthy dose of cheating that the guy called 'magic,' to which both teens snorted their disbelief.

"Magic?! Is that what they call magic these days, Kaiba?" the Egyptian asked, eyes narrowed.

"No, it's what they call hacking the game," the taller teen calmly responded to the other's anger.

Yami crossed his arms over his chest, stewing in his chair, takeout box empty on the floor beside him. "Magic..." He knew the player KaitoKid was probably only joking, but the gag rubbed him the wrong way along with the other forms of 'magic' he saw on TV, passing acts of sorcery with people pulling rabbits out of hats and the like. He snorted again in contemptment.

The former high priest smirked, but it slowly fell as he contemplated how he had the ability to use it; what people make a mockery of, true magic. He had yet to embrace the shadows that followed him, and he suspected that was why the shorter duelist had started coming over at least once a week at his brother's prompting. Yami was hell-bent on getting him to play games that he swore would bring out his shadow energy if he was stressed enough.

He sighed. "Just let it go, Yami."

"I will not! It's an abomination," he fumed.

"Yes, I'm sure it is."

_'Bing!'_

"It is! I suppose you just don't want to admit that you know what true magic is after all this time. It must irk you to a certain extent, no?"

"What irks me is that you think I can use your mythological magic and you won't leave me out of it."

_'Bing!'_

"Seto, we both know you have the ability to-"

"Shut up, Mouto. I'm done being involved in your shadows, monsters, and magical 'mumbo-jumbo.' Leave me out of it!"

"But Seth-"

"DO NOT call me that!"

_'BING!'_

"Kaiba, what was that noise? It came from your computer."

Confusion swept over the taller teen's face, taking in the screen. "It's an invite..."

The ex-pharaoh simply raised an eyebrow at this. "For what?"

"Poker."

"Okay...?" The short answers weren't doing anything for the spiky haired duelist. What was so odd about an online invite? Wasn't that a good thing? "Someone else wants to test your skill?"

"Hmm..." The keys on the keyboard sounded as the CEO typed; the look of confusion only grew as he did so. "Hmm..."

The shorter teen sighed. "Kaiba, what is it? Another hacker?"

He growled, eyes narrowed. "No, that'd be simpler!"

"What is it then?!" The King of Games wasn't able to comprehend the coding that flew over the monitor; his eyes became slits, waiting for an impending attack that he seemed to think might just come out of the screen(stranger things had happened).

"This asshole can't be for real!" he continued, furiously typing, "There's no way he can't just not exist!"

"What?!" Yami's head snapped down from looking at the ginormous computer screen mounted on the wall to Seto's face. "Isn't that-?"

The businessman snorted. "I know, right? It can't be possible." He didn't bother sparing the midget a glance, his face bathed in the artificial blue light that illuminated dark room.

"Hm..." The shadows stirred. "Perhaps it is magic, then."

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no way shadow magic can be used for this."

The ex-pharaoh smirked. "And you would know, wouldn't you?"

The taller teen realized his error a little too late and sighed, slowing in his frantic movements on the keyboard. "I only ran a few tests-" A chuckle interrupted him.

"I'm sure you did." Vibrant blue eyes glared at him from the taller teens pale face. "I'm also sure your 'magical' intuition is what made you trace the invite before accepting it, or do you trace all messages you get to see if they are of this world?"

An angry blush stained the younger teens face. "You little-"

_'Click'_

They both gaped at the screen.

"I don't remember clicking anything."

"Neither do I."

The game had begun.


	2. Poker?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poker happens, resulting in Kaiba and Yami reflecting on life in their world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are some valid statements/questions posted by viewers that I think should be cleared up should anybody have the same question(s).
> 
> *Joachim Armster: Both Yami and Kaiba wouldn't be suprised by it[magic] beyond the fact that it is happening.
> 
> -Me: How Kaiba and Yami are surprised by combining shadow magic and technology, Yami really isn't as surprised as Kaiba since he was privy to how Pegasus used a combination of both to steal people's souls, and we are not really counting the Noa arc in the anime. However, since this fic is being set after the final episode of the anime and volume of the manga series, with it's own twist to give Yami his own body, it has been at least a year or so since either of them have faced off against another magical foe(so it's been a little while). On top of that, Kaiba, at least in the anime, did see proofs of magic but that doesn't mean he knows all of its implications since he barely accepts it and hardly ever uses it, at least, consciously, anyways.
> 
> Also, this reviewer, it should be noted, reminded me about how heavily magic was used in season zero and such, and I will be drawing a bit from there for magic purposes in this fic.
> 
> *MMG: So the reason why Kaiba was surprised was because the of results of his test but the reason he originally tested it was based on no more than his intuition right?
> 
> -Me: Yes, Kaiba is surprised because of his limited testing with his magic and tech didn't show anything like this being possible(remember, he wasn't there or really privy to Pegasus's stealing of Yugi's grandpa's soul through a TV screen, and the Noa arc doesn't really count as magic, so this is sort of new to him). And the reason why he tested it is because of his intuition, like how he got that odd intuition/magic thing while dueling Ishizu on his blimp to not order his god card to attack, but his favorite dragon instead and thus avoided losing the duel to her. Makes sense, right?

"He's figured out your pattern! Admit it Kaiba, you need me."

"Never!" Perhaps it wasn't the most dignified either of them had ever been, but after losing one too many hands of poker and not winning enough of their own, changes were bound to be in order.

"Oh, quit being such a baby!"

"You're one to talk, how old are you in that new body of yours again?!"

The shorter teen growled indignantly. "I have over a millennia of experience behind it, Kaiba! Now hand over the mouse!"

"No," the other teen bit out, holding it just out of reach. Yami was sprawled out on-top of him in his chair, reaching for the damn thing held too far away by Kaiba's long arm.

"Damnit, Seto! Give it to me! I can help you!"

"I told you, I don't need your help!" He twisted out of reach again as the older duelist got too close, having used the geniuses head for leverage. "Damnit! Stop it! Get off me!"

Both duelists fell, Kaiba's legs flailing as his expensive chair fell to the side. Falling from the business man's grip, the mouse bounced onto the ground leaving behind two groaning teens in a heap on the floor.

"I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual, I assure you."

"Get off of me," the CEO growled.

"Love to."

"Then why don't you?!"

"Because I don't want to," the King of Games smirked.

"And why the hell not?!"

"Do you promise to play nice?"

"I promise to beat you into the ground if you don't get off of me this instant!" the blue-eyed teen threatened.

A sigh. "Seto."

Eyes narrowed. "Yami."

"I'll get up if you promise to let me help you with the game. You know no one can beat us when we work together."

A snort. "Been hanging out with Anzu much lately?"

"Seto," he warned.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. We can work together if that'll make you feel better."

Yami gracefully got off of him at that. "How very kind of you."

"I do try," he grunted, collecting the mouse off the floor before standing up. The shorter teen had righted the chair they'd knocked over and sat down in it regally, Kaiba grudgingly sat down on the arm of it as he handed over the mouse into Yami's awaiting palm. "Don't fuck up."

"Gladly."

The brunet glared. "I mean it."

"I know," the older teen said.

So it began again, their battle of poker against an invisible foe that was not of this world.

Whenever the pattern or strategy of one of the duelists fell through after collecting so many hands, the other took over, vaguely reminding Yami of his duel with Pegasus. It went Yami, to Seto, to Yami, and so forth until finally...

"We won," the ex-pharaoh stated. He hadn't been challenged like that in a game since his final duel with Yugi, which resulted in him gaining his own body. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't really tag-teamed a foe without his other half by his side in awhile either. They'd almost split ways entirely after the body split; their connection was never really the same and it hurt to think about even if they did still live together at the the Kame Game shop.

"Yeah. So now what?" the taller teen asked, still leaning forward from sitting on the side of the chair, arm extended to control the mouse. His face was level with the shorter duelists' face due to the position.

He cleared his throat. "Good question."

The genius only glanced at the other out of the corner of his eye. "Right..."

_'Bing'_

A new message appeared on the screen. It read: _'Well done. If you are that good at games... The world must be a tough place for you to live, right?'_

The CEO snorted. "Yeah, it's only full of idiots."

The ex-pharaoh couldn't help but agree, perhaps not on what Kaiba said, but with the sender... After all, this world was full of technology and new advancements he still had a hard time comprehending, so different from the palace he remembered growing up in. Plus, Yugi -his young light- hardly needed him anymore. The whole purpose of the final game they played was to see if he was still needed by Yugi, to see if this world still needed him.

_'What do you think about your world?'_

Kaiba's eyes narrowed.

_'Is it fun?'_

The prodding was turning the taller teens mind to darker thoughts, to cruel family members who only wanted him and his brother's inheritance, to a cruel step-father and his henchmen, and to all the assholes that wouldn't stop trying to get at him, his brother, and his company. This world was not 'fun,' it was not 'fair.' The only thing it was... was cruel. It was survival of the fittest and he'd damn-well showed this shit of a world who the fittest was, yet it never seemed to be enough. There was always someone else trying to take all that he had gained, all that he had left, away from him. He was sick of it! No matter how many times he'd proven himself, he never truly won.

He lived for his brother, everything was for him. His games, though. They were his. They were for him. Kaiba built an empire on gaming because if he was going to be rich, he ought to earn it doing something he loved. Yet, he hadn't actually gotten the chance to play or create many games lately, too busy creating a dueling academy which was more work than he had anticipated. He hated to admit it, but he missed the challenge of a good game.

_'Is it easy to live in?'_

Never. It was never easy to live in no matter what era Yami lived in. There was always some demon to face that would manage to hurt him and his friends significantly before it could be defeated. It seemed to be by sheer will of the gods that no one he truly cared for died in this lifetime. His friends and family in Egypt weren't so lucky...

_'If there is a world where simple games decide everything...'_

_'a world on a board, where the rules and goals were clear, what would you think about that?'_

_'Perfect,'_ came to both of their minds.

"Do we... respond?" Kaiba asked. They had the sense to be cautious. Everything always had a catch and this one could easily be a trap.

"Hm... I think... we do...," came the King of Games hesitant response. If they didn't respond, they might not have a choice in what the 'Unknown' player would do, considering how they were forced into playing poker. Whoever this person was, they had power, but to what extent was still unknown.

The brunet nodded, putting his hands to the keyboard. _'We'd say such a world would be more fair, but unrealistic.-'_

The shorter teen pushed the CEO's hands away, continuing, _'-Ultimately, though, it'd be perfect for us. We were born to be game masters, but we no longer have a true place in this world.'_

 _'Especially me,'_ the ex-pharaoh thought, clicking send.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the written dialogue translated out from the 'No Game No Life' messages from Tet or any part of said anime/manga. I also do not own any part of 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' So, don't sue! It's not nice!
> 
> -Also, I'll freely admit I know very little about Poker. Do you think I did a good job in my vague description of them playing it?


	3. Enter the Disboard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title for this chapter says it all.

The computer went from black to a white static fuzz as Seto Kaiba starred in horror at his beloved technology. It was connected to his work computers. Were they affected as well? Was this a devastating virus he allowed to infect his tech? His brain child? His company? All for a game?

'How could this be happening?' his mind stuttered and froze while his outward mantra continued as his mind left him fried, "Fuck, fuck, fuck-"

Yami, however, was more concerned about how the room around him and his rival was fading away and turning to startling blackness that was far different from his beloved shadow realm that he could control. Perhaps they underestimated how much of a threat this thing really was... now they were left with an even bigger fear of the unknown which had never turned out well for them.

As if to prove the former Pharaoh right...

"I think so too!" Arms began to emerge from the screen in front of them, their owner cheerily exclaiming like they'd just found some new toys. "You were definitely born in the wrong world!"

"Shit!" Kaiba gasped, recoiling from the strange arms appearance, unconsciously pulling a wide-eyed Yami with him. The chair they'd been sitting on seemingly disappeared into the floor for there was nothing hindering their staggered steps backwards.

The speaker continued right along, as if they hadn't noticed the two duelists' obvious distress at the situation. "So I'll let you be reborn!" A gem, possibly a vial of something, floated above the arms' open palms. "In the world you should have been born in!"

The two teens had just enough time to register this before the room they'd been in started to turn blinding white, covering the black box they'd been surrounded in while staring at the computer screen.

They were trapped from the moment they answered the last question, they realized, belatedly, just before dropping into their descent. Also, they wondered as an after thought, _'if they'd already been reborn again, how was this going to turn out?'_

"Welcome to my world!"

"Fuck!" the eldest Kaiba shouted in dismayed surprise. "Mokuba!" He was leaving Mokuba again. He was being taken again. Mokuba was alone again. But Mokuba had Isono and Roland... and his company, along with all that entails. Luckily (or is it just sad), he has his will in order for events such as these were he might die. He prayed to whatever God, or gods, there might be, not that he truly believed in any (So maybe he just prayed to the universe...?), that his brother would make it through whatever was about to happen. _'H_ e has to.'

On his left, the former spirit was having similar thoughts and worries. "Ahhh! Yugi, forgive me!" He hoped his aibou would be okay without him. He had loving friends like Jounouchi, Honda, and Anzu to take care of him and an actual family to come home to. He would be find. The tri-colored haired teen hoped he'd gotten his friend through the roughest parts of his life. He hoped there was nothing more for him to protect his aibou from because it didn't seem he'd be around to help. They could both start a life anew, independent from one another like how it was always supposed to be. _'We have to_.' Assuming they, him and his rival, didn't die first.

Unfortunately for them, they were dropping rapidly towards a strangely colored planet, more vibrant than their own.

"This is the ideal world you've always dreamed of." A child, which they assumed to be a boy, with pink hair with a matching hoodie and hat of the same color was free falling next to them without a care in the world. They couldn't help but stare at his unusual appearance, and Kaiba had half a mind to tell him what he thought of it, the part of his mind that wasn't freaking out and worrying about Mokuba, but he wisely held his tongue. "The world on a game board: Disboard!"

The CEO seemed to recover enough of his former snarky self to snort in disdain. "What a stupid name!"

The older teen sent him a glare, clearly communicating that his attitude toward the child was not appreciated. They still didn't know what they were up against or how the boy would react. However, it seemed his worries were unfounded, since all the boy did was smile mischievously at them, flying closer to them.

"Everything in this world is decided by simple games," he began to explain. "People's lives... even national borders!" His eyes, they noticed, had a diamond in one and a spade in the other, both of which they associated with playing cards like in the game of poker they just played.

"Who are you?" Yami finally asked.

"Me?"

"No! The person behind you! Yes, you!" the CEO barked at him.

The boy appeared not to be offended at all in the slightest by the brunet's responses. It was to the point where the former Pharaoh thought the boy either couldn't hear Kaiba, or was just damn good at ignoring him.

"I'm Tet."

The blue-eyed teen grew red in the face.

' _Or perhaps Tet just likes messing with him._ ' The shorter teen couldn't help but chuckle, adopting the strange boy's nonchalance for their inevitable crash to earth, opting to try falling backwards.

"I live over there!" He pointed to a giant chess piece in the distance, and Kaiba couldn't help wishing they could see it better.

"A god?" Tet went on, pointing to himself.

"A God!?" Yami's eyes widened in amazement at the possibility. _'Like the gods he used to worship?'_

Seto, on the other-hand, was less amazed.

"Oh fuck!" He covered his ears as if to help fortify his brain. "Stay outside of my head." At this point, the genius had given up on trying to be rightfully scared of inevitable death because he had other things to worry about, like another Anubis episode, and it wasn't like anyone else gave a shit about dying soon. So, why should he?

At this point, the strange being who called himself a god took it upon himself to fall right in front of their faces. "In this world, everything is decided by ten pledges.

"One: All murder, war, and robbery is forbidden in this world."

Yami snorted, arms behind his head as he fell backwards. "The Thief King would be disappointed." He could just imagine Bakura getting in a huff about it and stating how the world wouldn't be worth living in without those things. The white-haired man might even threaten to kill himself over it, so loathed he'd be to live here.

"Two: All conflicts in this world will be resolved through games."

Perhaps the tri-colored haired teen was wrong. Perhaps this boy just ignores people's responses in general.

"Three: In games, each player will bet something that they agree is of equal value."

"Like your soul," Kaiba stated, grimly. _'Just another shadow game... and here this guy made it sound like this would be some sort of gift to them... He's just another-'_

"Four: As long as it doesn't go against number three, what they bet and the rules of the game will not be questioned."

"Sounds like a loophole." The business-man had also taken to falling on his back, arms crossed. The fall was getting tedious and this god certainly wasn't helping anything. It'd be better if the ground came sooner. All this waiting was doing nothing but bore him.

Again, Tet ignored him. "Five: The challenged party has the right to decide the rules of the game."

"Hn," the brunette smirked condescendingly, "at least that's something."

Yami gave his rival an amused look.

"Six: Any bets made in accordance with the pledges must be upheld."

The shorter teen nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

"Seven: Conflicts between groups must be conducted by designated representatives with absolute authority."

"So, no democracies then?" Kaiba coolly stated. ' _Way to go back in time to the old ages. The god cemented his people into one form of government.'_

The deity didn't deign to respond. "Eight: Being caught cheating during a game is grounds for an instant loss."

The two duelists looked at each other, coming to the same conclusion. "Agreed."

"Nine: In the name of God, the previous rules may never be changed."

That sounded odd to both of them, particularly Seto. "No amendments?" Without change, how was someone to go forward? For a scientific mind like his, that seemed especially daunting.

"Kaiba!" the Egyptian launched himself at the taller teen. "The ground!" They were rushing down through the clouds at an alarming rate.

The CEO could only find it in himself to stare wide-eyed into the clouds above before he was abruptly shifted from looking up at blue to looking down at the pink ground.

The world went dark for both of them... or..., at least, it was supposed to... Their decent was stopped by an invisible force an inch or two above the ground before they were unceremoniously dropped in a heap, along with some of their belongings that fell out of both their pockets plus Kaiba's steel brief case that he seemed to never go anywhere without.

The boy-god chose that moment to appear in Yami's line of sight, blocking out the sun. "And ten: Let's all have fun and play together!"

"Hey!" the ex-Pharoah bolted upright into a sitting position, bringing his rival with him, who he had unconsciously smothered into his chest for... you know... protection purposes...?

"I look forward to seeing you again. I don't think it will be long..." Tet ominously voiced, his body having disappeared.

"Tet!" Yami yelled, indignantly at the departed god.

The older teen then felt the pressure on his chest increase as his younger friend tried to push his way out of his embrace. "Dammit, Yami! Let go of me! I'm not some doll that needs protecting!" He shoved the former pharaoh onto his back, arms releasing him so he could grab his phone from on the ground and stand up. "...Fucking magic...," he muttered disdainfully.

This was the chance Yami hadn't known he'd been looking for; a new purpose for his life, he thought as he stared up at the great blue expanse above him again, almost meditatively, not even minding being pushed over like some unwanted child.

He couldn't help but smile while his sometimes-friend walked off out of the crater they'd created. He felt free. He hadn't realized how constricted he'd felt in that other world. Now he was here, in a world, he could assume, that was more like the one he left behind over a millenia ago. An era of kings and queens... of pharaohs like him-like how he used to be-with absolute power and probably magic, and look who he was here with: Seto Kaiba, his former high priest, Seth. They'd be sure to conquer and rule this world as they once did Egypt together.

Off in the background, unaware of the ex-pharaohs thoughts, the taller duelist was busy pacing and ranting to himself, having a general melt-down while his partner remained oblivious, for the most part. "Fuck, Mokuba's gonna kill me... This is Noa all over again..! Little midget with weird hair sucks us into a world of his own creation and messes with my tech! What's next?! Is Pegasus suddenly going to appear with his cartoon bunny?" A gust of powerful wind came buffeting him from behind, making the brunet turn on his heel to face a giant red dragon raising itself up from below. Once it was done raising, it turned its powerful body on the two teens only to let out a powerful bellow before going on its way.

"I'm guessing not..." Atem commented from where he sat in the crater, appearing just as dazed as Kaiba felt.

Shaking his head as if to clear it, the former CEO exclaimed, "Fucking hell!" He couldn't decide if he was in awe or just plain pissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there you guys go. They have officially entered into Disboard.
> 
> Again, sorry for the wait. Please give me feedback, though, if you can on how I'm doing with the story, if the characters are as in character as I feel they are. Because, in my mind, Kaiba swears a shit load more than what he does in the anime and probably the manga, too (of which I have a fairly good knowledge of, even though I haven't read it all, because I've read so much fanfiction that explains half the things that have gone on in it and my friend has read it and told me even more things regarding it - so I think I'm educated enough...).
> 
> Anyways... Tell me what you guys want to see and I'll see if I can make it happen.
> 
> If that's more bickering and fun dialogue, of which I have plenty of, then you have no need to ask for it, because it's coming anyway. ;)


	4. Bandit Kieth Style? Or Just Bandit? Band-it all!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Journeying into town is an adventure.  
> -And Kaiba's an ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions and Points from the Reviewers:
> 
> Bannarock509 reviewer:
> 
> It good and funny. I'm just sad you separated Yami and Yugi. Separate bodies is cool but you are distancing them from each other. In your summary you are saying that Light can't last long without Darkness, I think that is a double standard. Yugi wouldn't be able to survive either. I personally would like to see him again later on.
> 
> My Answer:
> 
> Good point. I'll address this later. I have plans for this... XD You'll see!
> 
> Joachim Armster
> 
> I enjoyed it. I feel the characters are close to the originals, though I feel kaiba is more the type to say damn rather than fuck. The story flowed better in this chapter than the others as well. For negatives I feel kaiba would have presumed they where in a simulation rather than pray to gods due to his complete denial of magic as real or at the very least been skeptical due to his computer being the origin point of this situation. Even with that it was great and I can't wait for more.
> 
> My Answer:
> 
> 'Damn' verses 'fuck' now... Hm... I'm not really sure which he might rather say. I'll continue to play with his dialogue and see what I feel fits best where. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
> 
> Now, as for Kaiba presuming that they are in a simulation. I think I was trying to address that in part with him mentioning Noa, but I should probably address it again as we haven't really seen what Seto thinks of this new world itself, right now he's just pissed and worried about his brother he's left behind.
> 
> As for the praying to the gods, I said he might also have been praying to the universe, but, besides that, on reflex, in his own mind, he probably might revert back to Seth's faith(his past life), especially if he can sometimes, grudgingly, get himself to admit there might be some magic happening around him(he's not so stubborn as to completely dismiss all of this as explainable). So, for that, I'll stick with it being reflexive for Kaiba. Now, if he prayed out-loud, even on reflex, that might mean something different because that'd be very out of character for him at this point.
> 
> From Guest:
> 
> Just a little thing that threw me off was when Tet introduced himself he said "A God?" Which is weird considering he was talking about himself.
> 
> My Answer:
> 
> I know. It is a little weird, but that's how he supposedly introduced the idea of him being a god in the anime, according to the subbed translation I was looking at. So, I went with it. ;) Otherwise, though, thank you for reviewing and enjoying my fic. I hope you like how it turns out!

"Long ago, in the distant, distant past, the gods, along with their families and creations, waged an eternal war for the right to rule the world, the right to be the One True God. The long, brutal battle came to a swift end without a victor with the death of the sky, the sea, the land, and the stars. The single deity who had not participated in the battle won by default and assumed the title of One True God. His name was Tet. He was once known as the 'god of play.'

" _'You creatures who have fought with strength and violence, blood and death, who build a tower of corpses that rises to the sky and call yourselves wise, tell me this: What is the difference between you and the dumb beasts?'_

"In the face of their shattered world, excuses were meaningless. And then God spoke. _'All murder and robbery in this realm is forbidden,'_ he said. _'You sixteen races who call yourselves wise: use your wisdom and wit, your fortune and wealth, to build a tower of wisdom. And prove to me... That you have wisdom at all!_ " the merchant finished explaining with a loud flourish.

"Well that explains a lot," Seto commented off-hand from where he sat leaning against a tree, making notes on his phone, rather bored with the whole proceeding.

"Yes," the merchant agreed before asking, "Now, do you suppose you could leave us with a pair of pants?"

Yami smirked from where he sat to Kaiba's left, arm propped up on a bent knee of his. "No, I don't suppose we can. After all, fair is fair, here. We offered ourselves up to you and your men, risking being sent into slavery. You bet everything you owned in exchange."

The former CEO snorted. "Yeah, and you're lucky we didn't call you out earlier with that little elf of yours helping you cheat." He looked pointedly up from his phone to give a narrowed side glance at the elf in question.

The light-haired individual turned up his nose at them, not bothering to respond to the jab.

"Yes," the ex-Pharaoh commented, "who knew such cheating ran rampant even in this realm."

The brunet rolled his eyes at the shorter teen, moving to stand. "Where there's power, there is greed and corruption." He fixed an eerie smile on his face, looking at the cowering thieves left in nothing but loin-cloths. "Thanks for confirming that."

The leader of the other three thieves, for there was four in total, was left to plead, "P-please!" Kaiba turned away, the bandits 'goods' in his arms to carry with them, a brief case in one hand. "Reconsider! We're-we're sorry!"

"Yami, we're leaving."

The spiky-haired individual gracefully stood-up to follow. "Thank Ra."

"No!" the thieves pleaded from their place on the ground as the two duelist walked away. "Wait! Please! Let us punch you once!" they cried.

Thankfully, due to the younger teen's long strides, it wasn't long before Kaiba could not hear such cries anymore. They were giving him a headache and this world they'd found themselves in did not have aspirin at the ready for him to digest.

"Stupid idiots," he muttered.

"Mmm," his shorter companion agreed, letting them walk once again in silence for a time.

"Yami," the businessman said, breaking their comfortable silence, plagued by troublesome thoughts.

"Hm?"

"The shadow realm," he hesitantly began, not liking that he was somewhat admitting he even believed in such a thing, "is it not a part of this realm?" He had to know, given that other magics were afoot in this world.

The old spirit appeared thoughtful for a moment, not bothering to point out that his rival was talking about a 'magical' realm, before answering, "No, it is a part of all realms, to be called upon by those who can use it. I can still feel it, the shadows pulling on me, on my soul. We are not alone in this adventure." He made a small shadow dance in his hand. "Our strength is still with us." He clenched his fist, effectively extinguishing it. He inhaled sharply, feeling a tug at his soul from the action. It felt familiar and not altogether unpleasant, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was...

He stared determinedly off to the side, lost in his thoughts as Seto elected to ignore his partners' strange behavior and continued walking down the path to the nearby town, a plan already forming on how to find a place to sleep for the night, but first...

The brunet pulled up short. "We need to blend in." He started distributing the cloaks they'd won along with some of their other new possessions. "We can't come out of these woods still looking like we obviously came from another world."

Agreeing, Yami willingly took his portion of the distributed items, finding that the only thing that they did not have at least two of, and an even number of, was the blue jewel that had hung down on the elf's forehead.

The former Pharaoh palmed the jewel, weighing it in his hand. "You know, Seto," he smirked, "I think it'd be best if you wore it." He tried to hand it to the taller teen.

The former CEO didn't see the reason for it. "Why do I have to wear it?"

"To blend in," came the innocent remark.

"So why don't you wear it?"

"It goes with your eyes better," Yami replied, batting his crimson eyes up at the businessman.

The younger teen glared at his infuriating rival, leading to a battle of wills that lasted for several long seconds before Kaiba gave in with an angry growl, snatching the jewel out of the shorter teen's hand. "Fine!" He fixed the jewel of cobalt onto his head, letting it fall on the middle of his forehead, partially obscured by his bangs. As Yami had mentioned before, the gem and his rival's eye color were a near match, much more appropriate than a red-eyed fiend like him wearing it.

The brunet did not seem to share the same sentiment in regards to the stone and strode purposefully fast through the remainder of the woods to get to the nearby little town, leaving the spiky-haired teen to chuckle to himself over the childishness of his sometimes friend.

Making it out of the woods, they came across more of the common-folk from this town, farmers and merchants. Many of them would stop and stare at the two teens as they made their way swiftly down the hill ridden path.

Their whispers did not go unnoticed by the two, and Kaiba promptly slowed down in his steps to let Yami catch up. "Do you think they know?" he discreetly asked his blond rival. Only Yami's hood was up because of his outrageous hair. Kaiba had thought he was safe with having his down since his was comparatively normal and not a 'dead give-away' to where they were from, was he wrong in doing so? Was weird hair more the norm here than his? Thinking back on the God Tet wasn't helpful on the matter...

Before the shadow-wielder could answer, a young child broke away from her mother further down the path and ran up to the taller teen, pointing at his forehead. "Are you an elf?"

Both of the other worldly teens were at a loss.

"What?" the brunet manage to get out.

The child blink inquisitively up at them. "Do you have pointy ears, too?" She pointed to her ears at if it might help illustrate her point to them. "Are they covered by your hair and that collar of your cloak?" The child looked like she wanted to reach up and check for herself, but, thankfully, she wasn't tall enough.

"Alisha!" the fearful voice of the girl's mother came as she scooped up her child into her arms, checking her over as if to make sure she was unharmed. After the girl was deemed safe, the woman turned her attention to the two teens, bowing slightly at the hip. "Forgive her for bothering you, she meant nothing by it. She is just a curious child who has obviously never seen an elf before. My apologies." She bowed again.

The former CEO stood there dumbfounded. _'Did he really look like an elf?'_

Meanwhile, his rival was in a fit of giggles, overjoyed at the misunderstanding.

The farm-woman knocked him upside the head. "Don't be laughing at your master, young man. I thought you would know better than that for your own good." She turned back to addressing the blue-eyed teen. "I apologize on his behalf. Please do not punish the boy over these turn of events."

"Mama!" The girl piped up from in her mother's arms. "I wanna see the elf ears." She was stretching and twisting in her mother's grip, almost making the woman drop her.

"No, Alisha! Stop it!" she scolded, before give the two teens a forced smile. "My apologies again. Please, have mercy on Humanity." She bowed again to Kaiba before quickly scurrying off with her struggling daughter in her arms.

Yami blushed profusely. "S-servant?!"

The business man snickered into his palm.

The ex-Pharaoh glared at him.

"Serves you right," the brunet told him, setting back towards walking.

It wasn't long before the duo was stopped again, this time by a grown man, obviously a merchant, asking the presumed elf if he could buy his servant from him.

Kaiba answered 'yes' just to be an ass before Yami could correct the man in his thinking, but relented in saying that he 'supposed' he had become too attached to his slave to be able to sell him.

Yami did not appreciate this and had some choice words for the both of them, and had to restrain himself from sending a shadow monster other than a fluffy Kuriboh to chase after the horrible trader.

The trader, though, was not deterred and, perhaps, was made all the more determined to gain Yami as a slave to sell, and decided to challenge the 'elf' to a game for the blond teen.

"Fine, I accept, if only my servant gets to be the one to play instead," came Kaiba's response.

The merchant looked unsure and a little angry at the requirement. "Why?"

"It's only fair. It's his life hanging in the balance, not mine," came his off-hand response. The shorter teen was still simmering over the whole discussion without his input.

The scruffy looking man stroked his beard in thought. "Hmm... When you put it that way, I guess it is only fair." His eyes narrowed at the brunet. "Being awfully fair to a member of Humanity... makes me kinda wonder..."

The taller teen didn't like where this could possibly be going. "Oh?" came his sharp response.

The man shook his head, waving it off. "Eh! It's nothin'. Let's play!"

"Then, if my servant wins," he eyed the pouch of coins strapped to the man's belt, "then all those coins on your belt and any other valuables on you are ours. Agreed?"

The trader nodded. "Fair deal. Now, may I suggest a game?"

"Well, you certainly turned polite," Yami muttered darkly, the eye of Horus briefly flashing on his forehead, the cloak obscuring it from view.

The two other males ignored the 'servant', allowing for Kaiba to continue with, "No, I'm sure whatever game you pick will be sufficient." He smiled devilishly at their opponent, but the merchant didn't seem fazed by it, returning it with one of his own.

"Quite good, then. I'm a simple man. How 'bout we just draw a card from this deck?" He produced a perfectly fine one from his back pocket. "Ace's are high, two's are low. Whoever draws the highest card wins. Sound good?"

Yami begrudgingly nodded alongside his 'handler', the thought alone made him want to growl and howl in rage. His royal blood was boiling at their presumptuousness.

After they, the merchant and Yami, swore on the pledges, they started with their high stakes game.

"I give the first draw to your lovely servant." The man held the deck out to Yami.

The former King of Games glared at the degrading man, quickly sliding a card out of the deck. He showed it to be the black queen of spades.

"Ah! Good choice. That's going to be hard to beat," the trader commented with a playful smile.

The slave's eyes-narrowed at the merchant as he picked his card, spotting the cheat immediately.

"What the-?!" Dark shadow magic enveloped the card, quickly placing it in the shadow wielder's hand instead for examination. Yami's vibrant read eyes examined the card and noted the barely noticeably ridges on the card's side, showing that in 'picking' this particular red ace of diamonds, the trader was cheating, and he said as much.

"Therefore, dirty-trader, your ability to play with luck is nothing and we will be taking all the riches on your person."

The merchant looked outraged at the accusation, but had nothing to disprove him except an angry, "But, that was magic I just saw!?" which wasn't exactly helpful to his cause.

"Yes, it was," the former Pharaoh stated venomously, eye of Horus glowing all the more brightly on his forehead for the trader to see, eyes turning white, radiating power. He felt the shadows tugging and prodding at his soul, begging to be released, something he hadn't felt in awhile being so unchecked by his aibou. He wanted to release all this pent up energy upon this unwise fool. It was intoxicating, and he knew he shouldn't be indulging in it, but, still...

"Atem," said his former High Priest. Yami almost had to do a double take to make sure it was not Seth talking to him, but, rather, his reincarnation. "Enough, the man is already complying with the rules of the game."

And, sure enough, even with all the fear running through the man at the display the shorter teen was putting on, he had already dropped all of his valuables at their feet, his hands being possessed by the pledges they'd taken.

The ex-Pharaoh did not feel satisfied at this and quickly drew out his dark magician from his deck which was strapped in it's holder at his waist. Raising his hand, he made to summon it.

"Atem!" came that commanding voice of his rival's again, a hand grabbing his wrist. "Enough!" he hissed.

This allowed for the trader to finally struggle loose from the fear that had gripped him and run raggedly towards the town at a rapid pace.

The former King of Games growled in annoyance at being stopped, turning his burning gaze upon his only 'friend' in this realm.

A blue-eyed gaze met his evenly. Under their undaunted stare, Yami's eyes slowly turned back to their normal crimson, the eye of Horus disappearing.

Kaiba let go of his grip on Yami's arm, the shorter teen huffing and glaring at the ground off to the side of the path moodily. He could feel the cool gaze of the brunet's on his back, knowing the younger teen was waiting for an answer.

"Fine," the shorter teen sourly conceded, "you can take the damn jewel off."

The former CEO sighed, easily slipping back into their old banter mode. "You know," he smiled smugly at him, "I think I liked this new master slave relationship."

But it seemed that it wouldn't be that easy for the rivals with Yami's anger returning to it's last height of rage. "I have not, nor will I ever, be a slave!" The eye of Horus flashed brightly once more, convincing Kaiba to drop the topic, pocket the offensive piece of jewelry, and never bring it up again as they continued their walk into town in relatively strained silence.


	5. Succumbing to Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yami... and Seto doesn't know what to do with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place not long after Sora and Shiro gain positions as the King and Queen, but does take place before they make it to the library... Does that make sense?
> 
> Also, sorry if this one, chapter, is a bit short. It's a filler to get to the next one. It explains things to lead up to all the shit that's going to go down in the next. So, read and enjoy! ;D

The following days were a struggle for Atem, known as Yami in this life, and his former High Priest wasn't doing much to ease the situation, not that his High Priest could even begin to know how to in this life.

Following their encounter with the merchant on their way into town, Yami's attitude fluctuated from amused and hopeful, with his new chance at life, to angry and frustrated.

Kaiba was getting fed up with the mood-swings that made him thankful we wasn't the dating type. He had to resist the urge to smother the other teen in his sleep, mainly because it was the worst at night.

The former Pharaoh would wake up in a sweat, screaming, eye of Horus shining brightly. The businessman was more than a little fed up with this pitiful display, not that it disturbed his sleep much because he hardly ever slept as it was, the workaholic in him even persisting into this world, it seemed.

Still, the young teen found it highly annoying and would rather it stopped.

The inn keeper was sick of hearing it too, thinking someone was being murdered in their shared suite, an impossibility for this game world. The man running the inn wanted them out by the end of their second night there, but Kaiba, ever the fearsome businessman, even in this world, convinced him otherwise with some well placed threats and gold coins, the advantages of knowing how the human brain worked when faced with greed and fear.

When his rival wasn't screaming in his sleep, he was moping on his bed, facing the wall, or trying to get him join in a simple game of war or duel monsters with him all while wearing that mischievous smile of his that did nothing but infuriate him. Kabia found he had to leave the room to resist such temptations, more focused on learning all there was to know about this kingdom they'd found themselves in.

He found information, in the people's hands, were few in the way of books, not that, he was finding, he could read it anyway without actual books to read, to learn the language from, that people would be willing to part with (even the most ordinary of texts were coveted in this city, having been so long without a library, he was told). So most of the info he'd gathered, he gathered from the inn patrons and those nearby who would indulge in his questioning. His note taking was on his phone which he then transferred onto his laptop.

One patron was startled to see the use of such technology and said he actually recognized it. Obviously, such news quipped his interest. When questioned where, the person replied, at the castle in the hands of their new rulers where there was rumors that they did not originate from this world.

Of course, this set the young teens' mind on one goal and one goal only: to gain the attention of the king and queen of this land and pump them for information, perhaps even challenge them for their seat on the throne, but, first, he had to get someone's ass out of bed.

"Yami, get your damn butt out of bed!" A glance around the room showed that his rival hadn't bothered to move since he'd left that morning. "Stop your moping." He'd lost all patience for this, marching across the room to the covered figure lying there on the bed, the sheets pulled up over his head. "You damn Drama Queen! Get the fuck out of bed!" He yanked the covers off the older teen and grabbed him by the arm, dragging up and away from the matress.

The blond was startled and confused, followed by righteous anger at being manhandled again by the taller teen.

"Seto! What is this?! Get your hands off of me! I can walk!" He tried in vain to dig his heels into the floorboards to stop his rival's insistent pulling towards the bathroom.

Blue-eyes glared down at him. "Quit your struggling. We need to get you cleaned up."

"Oh?" came Yami's cool response, his struggling suddenly ceasing. "And just what do I need cleaning up for?"

The former CEO had the sneaking suspicion that, all of the sudden, he was walking a very fine line with the former spirit. "We're going to become kings."

The smile that broke out across Atem's face was chilling.

As some might know it, this was the beginning of the end.

The two rivals got cleaned up, at record pace, and proceeded to challenge any and all who were foolish enough to accept.

It was usually the young businessman who picked their mark, noting who looked the cockiest in the town. It turned out most of the nobles he would have challenged were already thoroughly beaten by their new kings. This left only a far few to challenge.

Meanwhile, Yami followed in his shadow, letting himself be led, appearing as though he was unsure of something. His stance was less confident than it usually was and it tended to change every-time he looked back at him.

The brunet had to keep telling himself that he was seeing things because that was the only explanation he could come up with for what was transpiring out of the corner of his eye. Honestly, sometimes he thought he saw the shadow of the shorter teen elongate besides them, reaching for something.

He had to restrain a shiver.

The shadows were something else.

Not only that, but, as time gradually wore on - for what little of it pasted-, the former spirit's mood swings became more erratic.

After the first day of going out and challenging people, it became apparent to Kaiba that something was indeed not right. He wanted to blame it on depression or some kind of bi-polar disorder, but that couldn't easily explain away the things he saw.

Yami had just threaten their last opponent unnecessarily with a shadow monster. If that wasn't proof enough, then he didn't know what was.

He knew Yugi would never have let his other half get away with the stunt he just pulled. The genius could hardly believe it himself. It was over so fast. He, again, had to wonder if it was his imagination or not.

He was near pulling out his hair as he sat thinking about it that night, rolling it over and over again in his mind, trying to figure out if this new world was making him go insane. Was this Noa's virtual world all over again? Was it the Big Five messing with his life? Was Gozaburo laughing at him from the deepest pits of hell, saying, _'I was never really gone'_?

He wanted to scream, and he wanted to kill the damn bastard that was silent for once on that night.


	6. Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they play chess.

They were playing chess.

Normally, the former CEO would be ecstatic at the news, or as ecstatic as a 'robot' like him could be, for he was a chess champion. However, just like with all games he loved, it seemed everyone just have to go throw a twist onto them. With Duel Monsters, it was live monsters, mind crushes, and general shadow realm rules. Here, the chess pieces responded, with wills of their own, as many armies would. That is to say they responded to emotion first rather than logical commands. The more emotion one could muster in them, then the better their chances were of winning.

Kaiba only knew how to invoke two:

Fear and Anger

-Which did nothing as he demanded his first pawn move from D2 to D4. It moved it's two spaces, but when his opponent went crowing out about his move, he made the thing move far farther than just two damn spaces by just saying "G7 advance!"

Chess was supposed to favor  _him, the_ genius Kaiba _,_  as the first player to make a move, giving him a higher chance of winning-  _It_  wasn't supposed to work this way- even with different rules! This was his army!

He felt his grip tighten on the ledge he was leaning on.

Things just went downhill from there. The young teen found himself getting increasingly more indignant, yelling at his men to move while the pieces seemed more and more reluctant to do so. He just about had a fit, especially when he managed to make it 'Check'. His pawns completely stopped working at that point. In fact, all of his pieces had seemingly come to a standstill. He found his eye twitching in irritation and he felt a headache coming on, too.

 _'Nothing was moving! What was wrong with the pieces! Didn't they know to stand and fight for him?! Where did their loyalties lie? Weren't they_ supposed _to lay down their lives for him?! Isn't that what armies did?'_

The brunet found himself leaning heavily on the ledge now, sweating, staring blankly at the floor. _'This couldn't be how it ended, could it? There had to be a way!'_

A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts.

The taller teen's eyes met the former spirits', who smiled kindly at him, a twinkle in his devilish eyes. The shorter teen then turned to address their pieces.

"Listen up!" he bellowed, the force of which caused all of their pieces' heads to turn. "As your Pharaoh, I command you to move forward. In doing so, I will grant you all concubines and freedom from further service in my military _."_ He paused to let that suggestion sink in and see their pieces shift and appear more excited- if pieces could truly look that way."You will also be paid handsomely for your services in gold." The pieces continued to stare in awe at their leader. "But I cannot guarantee you any of the riches I've promised if I am alone in my conquest! We will  _all_  survive this if we work together! You  _will_  be able to go home to whatever family you may have! Ra is with us! Let us fight as hero's alongside each other so that we may achieve glory!"

Seto couldn't believe his eyes as chaos suddenly descended down upon the chess field, order being thrown out the proverbial window, with pieces jumping off their pedestals and into the fray of battle without being given specific instructions on where to go. No turns of the players was heeded. It was a free for all.

 _'So this is war...'_ he thought, never having seen it in action, even after all the years spent under Gozaburo's care making weapons.

Their opponent, a faceless noble he didn't even bother remembering the name of, was combating the attack rather well, saying how he learned a lot from the rumors of the last game played there by their new King and Queen.

Unfortunately, the mention of a queen in that context gave the spiky-haired duelist an idea.

"Ah! What is a ruler without a queen?" he talked boisterously down to their opponent's pieces. "I have one, one whom  _you_ , my army," he said, shifting his attention over to them, "traitorously thought cared nothing for you! He wished to only give you points on strategy so that you could be home to see your families sooner, but all you did was make him feel ill!"

Kaiba couldn't get himself to face the pieces, his bangs covering his eyes while he ground his teeth, trying to keep himself from strangling the older teen.

"No one could wish for a brighter queen! No one could ever think of it!" He spoke to all the pieces, now. "For what is a king, a Pharoah, without his queen?"

The young genius couldn't help himself from hissing out, "Yami, I am not your queen!"

"Yes, you are." He turned Kaiba's face to the game pieces, holding his bangs back. "Doesn't he just have the prettiest blue eyes you've ever seen?"

The chess pieces 'awe'd at him, making the young brunet blush.

"Dammit!"

"Isn't he cute when he blushes?" They all chorus their agreement.

"Knock it off, Yami!" He pushed the older teen back, only to have his arms caught in an iron grip. The look in Yami's eyes had a glow to them, convincing Kaiba to turn back around and accept his role begrudgingly. The brunet opted for sitting on the ledge in order to better overlook the battlefield, and, in turn, be better seen by their now rallying troops that marched steadily forward with the new incentive of serving their 'queen'.

"Fuck you..." the brunet stewed.

"Now Kaiba," Yami admonished, an edge to his voice that made Kaiba suppress a shiver, feeling shadows lick at his fingertips.

He tried to make it appear as if he was unaffected, crossing his legs and arms in a huff. "You better fucking win then."

"Yes, _they'd_  better." A knife was pressed against the pulse point of his neck with a sudden swiftness, the cool of the blade caressing his fluttering heartbeat. "Or I'll slit my queen's throat." He felt shadows crawling on him, reaching for him, could fee the powerful presence behind him that demanded not to be ignored.

The scariest part was the tug he felt pull on his soul.

The brunet felt it probing, looking for a weak spot,  _looking for a way in_. It wasn't as forceful as last time. Last time he felt these shadows, they tore right through him, back during one of the first times he met this version of Yugi. No, this presence was looking for a way to gain leverage, power,  _control_. If there was one thing the former CEO hated most, it was being controlled, being manipulated. People like Pegasus, Gazoburo, the Big Five, Noa...  _Yami_...

' _He would not go back to the shadow realm!'_

A blinding white light sparked up around him, shoving the former King of Games off to the wayside, dropping the knife. Kaiba could hear the pieces on their side shifting, worried, weakening.

He couldn't take his eyes off of where Yami had fallen.

He knew he should run. The beast inside of the former spirit seemed to be raging, unquelled, but, if he did that, that would mean they forfeited the game and he'd be a slave again. Images from a life not belonging to him filtered through his mind along with flashes of Gozaburo. ' _Not again...'_  Part of him shrinked back in fear, wondering if the alternative was any better. But the great (former) CEO of Kaiba Corp. did not show fear and so, therefore, did not move.

Still... He almost curled in on himself when he heard the other teen's laugh amiss their opponent yelling at them.

"Ah! That felt good, Priest!" He despised that nickname and the anger from it gave him strength enough to pull out of whatever fear and self-pity may have taken hold of him, letting him salvage his pride and put on a fitting poker-face.

Atem stood up, shakily. "It was just what I needed," he went onto say, more somberly. He moved step by faltering step back to his self-proclaimed queen. "I-" He was reaching his hand out to Seto to settle on him. The ex-pharaoh was suddenly covered in sweat and looked near passing out, so the younger allowed it, against his better judgement screaming he not let the man any nearer. "-I need-," he licked his now dry lips, millennium eye glowing on his his forehead,"-I need a light."

The brunet was puzzled.  _'A light?'_ The concept was new to him and yet, he felt, like it really wasn't. He just couldn't place its meaning or its origin, and with Yami coming to lean on him so heavily, he didn't know what to expect. _'How did it turn from this idiot threatening him, to him taking care of the same idiot?'_

"Set-Seto," the man in his arms pleaded. "Be m-my light?"

Kaiba was less than impressed with this strategy.  _'Be his light?'_  What was this? Some kind of romance novel? He couldn't come up with anything else this line could mean or why the blond was saying it.

But, he knew, their army would eat it up. Everyone, he was told, enjoyed a good love story. Heck! Didn't Yami just tell their pieces that a king needed to be balanced with his partnered queen? That a king was nothing without one?

He hated that he had to be a part of such a cliche concept; such shallow and naive idiots believed in such trivial things. Plus, they were two males, but he doubted their chess army would see much of a difference since they already accepted the explanation of him being 'Queen'.

At the same time, there was a niggling in the back of his mind, warning him against agreeing to such a thing, like it had implications outside of  _that_  game. That it was something more than a make believe scenario stupid pawns would believe. The young teen couldn't find a logical answer to say no, though, to support this feeling. Seto Kaiba didn't usually go off of anything but logic, and logic dictated that the only way to save face and win the game with the support of their army on the chess board, they needed him to make a sacrifice.

So...

He said, "Yes."

Yami seemed to almost weep in relief, for a reason Kaiba couldn't fathom other than that it was for show, before pressing their foreheads together.

All Seto saw was light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of right now, this fic is still not meant to be a fic pairing Seto and Yami together. (Perhaps it will be in the future or maybe a new pairing the world has never seen before will arise!)  
> I just like making innuendos and playing with how they both react to different things, both being complete assholes and dicks to each other.
> 
> I mean, what is Seto supposed to think about being asked to be Yami's light? It's not like he understands the whole premise of this fic!
> 
> Or the whole dynamic between Yami and Yugi, the obvious consequences of them being magically separated like this, with a universe between them. I also feel like it's not as sudden of a shift from balanced to overwhelming darkness to the extent it was in the anime, with them both immediately feeling the emptiness being split-up naturally brings. It was more gradual, kinda, if you count it taking three to five days for Yami to reach this point as gradual. - I don't know, I didn't exactly watch all of that Atlantis Arc they had in the anime, so I could be wrong, but this is my version of it, my fic, so you'll all just have to live with it, I guess. XP
> 
> One last thing that I feel like I should explain, the thought process for Seto with the 'loyalty of pieces' is the same thought process he had for the Big Five and Pegasus, and look how well that turned out for him. He believes all of his servants should be loyal to him and he doesn't know what to do when they aren't besides trying to go and destroy them for turning on him. So, with a game of chess, where he can't readily punish those who aren't loyal to him on his side of the field, he is at a loss.

**Author's Note:**

> A.N.
> 
> I apologize for any errors in this, I have no beta and I was really just posting this as I finished writing the chapters last year. I was doing NanoWrimo and apparently this had become a fic I was going to try and chug, at least, a good portion out. So, enjoy!
> 
> Also, I hope you all liked the Kaito Kid references in this chapter for those fans out there who enjoy that anime and the like. ;)


End file.
